Resin
Flexible Resin
Flexible parts with detail: gaskets, dampers, soft models, ergonomics.
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Material passport
Density1.1 g/cm³
Encyclopedia
Flexible resin produces a part that bends and stretches without breaking — rubber-like, but with resin detail. Stiffness varies: from soft like an eraser to springy. It is a niche material for gaskets, dampers, ergonomic and soft-touch models.
What it is good for
- Gaskets, seals, dampers
- Ergonomic pads, soft-touch parts
- Flexible hinges and springy elements
- Detailed models that need to bend
Where NOT to use it
- Rigid loaded parts — the material is too soft
- Tight-tolerance dimensional parts — flexibility gets in the way
- High heat
- When you need a simple rigid model — use standard
How to print
- Normal layer exposure: dialed in with a test; flexible resins often need longer
- Bottom layer exposure: 30–50 s — solid adhesion of soft material matters
- Layer height: 0.05 mm or more — thin layers of soft material are fussy
- Cure wavelength: 405 nm
- Pure flexible resin is often mixed with standard to tune stiffness (per maker's instructions)
Liquid resin is toxic and a skin irritant — work in nitrile gloves in a ventilated room and avoid skin and eye contact. Wash prints in isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and always do a final UV cure: only then does the resin become safe to handle.
Washing, curing and storage
- Washing: 4–6 minutes in isopropyl alcohol (IPA), gently — soft parts deform easily
- UV curing: enough but not excessive — over-curing makes flexible material stiff and brittle
- Storage: dark, tightly sealed bottle
- Stir thoroughly before printing
Flexible resins are especially over-cure-sensitive: overdo the UV cure and the part loses flexibility, turning stiff and brittle. Cure only as much as needed for a non-tacky surface.
Pros and cons
- Flexibility and elasticity with resin detail
- Rubber-like soft-touch feel
- Good for gaskets and dampers
- Tunable stiffness when mixed
- Harder to print and post-process
- Over-cures into stiffness easily
- Niche and expensive
- Same liquid-resin toxicity
FAQ
It depends on the brand. Some soft flexible resins approach soft TPU, others only spring slightly. Flexibility is often tuned by mixing flexible resin with standard. For predictably flexible parts FDM TPU can be more reliable, but resin gives better detail.